Global News - May 2008
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New Zealand police swoop to bust major poaching gang
Tue 27 May 2008 14:00 UK — Australasia,Marine Wildlife
Officials in New Zealand have made a series of arrests and claim to have destroyed an illegal abalone poaching gang.
The law enforcement officers arrested around 65 people in four towns across the country after a 12-month covert operation.
Officials revealed that 70 agents carried out simultaneous enforcement actions in Auckland, Wellington, Opotiki and Hasting in the early hours of May 27th.
During the past months police have observed the gang illegally distribute over nine tons of abalone - also sometimes known as paua.
Ministry of Fisheries national investigations manager Shaun Driscoll explained that many of those arrested were also involved in other illegal activities.
"The people involved in paua poaching rings like this are seasoned criminals, often members or associates of gangs, who are often involved in other criminal activity," he explained.
"A number of the criminals who will be apprehended today are recidivist offenders who earn substantial livings from this activity. They have no regard for the law or the damage they do to this precious natural resource."
Those arrested are likely to face over 300 possible serious charges and the operation also resulted in the confiscation of 35 motor vehicles.
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